ThinksMarkedly wrote:cthia wrote:I certainly agree. I see focusing only on light combatants as a mistake as equally arrogant as High Ridge's build down. And as you implied, especially against the MAlign. When taking on a stealthy enemy, your ships are probably going to take a lot of hits. Inherently, SD(P)s are eggshells.
So would it behoove the RMN to build regular SDs for their natural survivability?
Anyone care to guestimate how many more hits a regular SD can take compared to a pod layer?
Fewer.
Yes, the SD(P) has a major structural weak point in the form of the pod door. It's also an aspect that is less protected by chase weaponry.
But the RMN building materials are tougher than what used to be used in regular SDs. The SD(P)s are also bigger and more armoured, so they should be able to take more hits.
Could you build an even more armoured ship with fewer weak points than the current crop of SD(P)? Sure. But it would also be a worse combatant, because it's basically a defensive ship. It can't fire as many offensive missiles from its broadsides than a pod-layer can. And if it has to dedicate surface area to anti-ship missile tubes to the same ratio that a regular SD has to, it will also have a worse defence.
Why would you design a ship to take punches but not deliver them? You can't win if you only play defensive.
I only recall "eggshell" being used to describe SD(P)s. I thought the pod bay door was only a weakness, rather than the cause of its eggshell status.
Being thought of as both more survivable because of more armor AND as an eggshell seems contradictory.
At any rate, why not build your weapons for your terrain. Terrain can include a stealthy enemy. An LD can get inside Apollo's longer reach nullifying its advantages.
Why not build a bigger SD with the very same improved materials, and without any structural weaknesses. Against the MA, GA ships may need to survive knife-fighting range. And in a knife-fight you can't allow your opponent to get in the first stab, because it is usually fatal.
If you are taken by surprise at knife-fighting range, you better be survivable.
Why would that design make it just a defensive ship? Apollo is just as deadly on an SD design. The ship would simply be more survivable up close.
I don't think humongous salvos are going to win the war against a stealthy opponent.